Two years ago, the CNBC newsman famously lost it during a live broadcast from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, giving rise to a larger movement. For some tea party faithful, Santelli's rant still serves as a rallying point.

This morning, thousands of tea party demonstrators are expected to gather at Daley Plaza to vent their frustrations with high taxes and big government.

"If (Santelli) wanted to know how it feels to be treated like a god on Earth, all he needs to do is show up on Monday," said Steve Stevlic, director of the Chicago Tea Party Patriots. "We will put him on our shoulders and carry him around the city."

On Feb. 19, 2009, while talking about the proposed federal mortgage relief plan, the west suburban native became impassioned, lambasting the Obama administration and calling for revolt.

"We're thinking of having a Chicago Tea Party in July," Santelli shouted, drawing cheers from traders in the pit. "All you capitalists that want to show up to Lake Michigan, I'm gonna start organizing."

While Santelli's role in the tea party movement's creation is not universally accepted, some trace its roots to that rant. "In retrospect, I think I was the lightning rod for many Americans to address their frustration with overspending and lack of representation of both political parties," Santelli said Friday via email.

Within days, some who sympathized with Santelli answered his call, and tea party organizations have been popping up around the country ever since. In Illinois, there are roughly 90 local chapters across the state, said Denise Cattoni of the Illinois Tea Party organization.

"I give (Santelli) complete credit for sparking the modern-day movement with those two words — Tea. Party," said Stevlic, who attended the first Chicago rally a week after the rant.

Though he has never been active in the movement, Santelli recognizes what followed.

"Whether one agrees with their philosophy or not, the larger vision of so many people so active and so involved is uniquely American," he said.

But while Santelli's rant struck a chord for some who would join the movement, for others, his words were lost in a growing chorus of political dissent.

"I thought it was a temper tantrum," University of Chicago political science professor John Brehm said.